§ Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) how much funding has been awarded by central Government to local authorities to cover the implementation of plans to undertake shoreline clean-ups following marine pollution incidents in each of the last 10 years; [31211]
(2) if he will make it his policy to introduce a statutory duty on coastal local authorities to (a) plan for and (b) undertake shoreline clean-ups following marine pollution incidents as part of the review of emergency planning legislation; and if he will make a statement; [31207]
(3) how much has been spent by local authorities in (a) setting up plans to undertake shoreline clean-ups following marine pollution incidents and (b) cleaning up shorelines following marine pollution incidents in each of the last 10 years; [31209]
(4) what representations he has received concerning the introduction of a statutory duty on coastal local authorities to (a) plan for and (b) undertake shoreline clean-ups following marine pollution incidents; and if he will make a statement; [31212]
(5) how many coastal local authorities have implemented a voluntary plan for undertaking shoreline clean-ups following marine pollution incidents; and if he will provide a list of those local authorities; [31208]
(6) how much funding has been requested by local authorities to cover the implementation of plans to undertake shoreline clean-ups following marine pollution incidents in each of the last 10 years. [31210]
§ Mr. JamiesonMy Department recognises the importance of the role of coastal local authorities in preparing and maintaining contingency plans for450W responding to shoreline pollution following marine pollution incidents, and in carrying out that response. Since the beginning of 1998, my Department has received representations concerning the introduction of a statutory duty on coastal local authorities to plan for or undertake shoreline clean-ups following marine pollution incidents from: Aberdeenshire council, Ceredigion county council, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Devon county council, Dumfries and Galloway council, Dundee city council, Fife council, KIMO (Kommunenes Internasjonale Miljøorganisasjon), the Local Government Association, Pembrokeshire county council, Purbeck district council, Shetland Islands council, South Ayrshire council and the Tyne and Wear Emergency Planning Unit. This is a subject which falls within the scope of the Cabinet Office's ongoing review of "The Future of Emergency Planning in England and Wales", and specifically that review's proposal that existing emergency planning legislation be replaced with a new statutory duty for emergency planning, and my Department has made an input to that review. The result of the review is awaited.
The information requested about coastal local authorities which have implemented contingency plans on a voluntary basis has been placed in the Libraries of the House, in the form of a list compiled by my Department's Maritime and Coastguard Agency, using data collected in January 2001 (and which are being updated presently). Information about the amount of funding which local authorities have requested to cover the implementation of plans to undertake shoreline clean-ups following marine pollution incidents, and the amounts which local authorities have spent on setting up plans to undertake shoreline clean-ups following marine pollution incidents and on cleaning up shorelines following marine pollution incidents, is not held centrally. No specific grants have been made covering the implementation of shoreline clean-up plans following a marine pollution incident. My Department's Maritime and Coastguard Agency does, however, annually provide training courses for local authority officers on oil pollution contingency planning and response, and shorter courses on oil spill response, at no cost to the local authorities involved.